Sanitary pad and holder therefor



Nov. 9, 1954 WR|GHT 2,693,806

SANITARY PAD AND HOLDER THEREFOR Filed July 19. 1952 INVENTOR. Dara/fly M/yfif United States Patent O 2,693,806 SANITARY PAD AND HOLDER THEREFOR Dorathy L. Wright, Kansas City, Mo.

Application July 19, 1952, Serial No. 299,821

1 Claim. (Cl. 128-286) This invention relates to new and useful improvements in sanitary pads, and has particular reference to a special holder for containing a sanitary pad while in use, and to the novel relationship between said holder and pad.

The principal object of the present invention is the provision of a sanitary pad having a moisture-impervious, pliable holder or covering, said holder having only a restricted opening for receiving the menstrual flow, whereby to offer protection against the soilage of clothing.

Another object is the provision of a sanitary pad structure of the character described having a novel relationship of the pad and holder whereby to provide tabs for pinning or otherwise securing the structure to a sanltary belt or the like.

A further object is the provision of a pad holder of the class described which may be marketed either as a separate, reusable accessory, or as a disposable unit assembled with the sanitary pad itself.

Other objects are extreme simplicity and economy of structure, ease and convenience of use, maintenance of the pad in a sterile condition, and adaptability for use with virtually any sanitary pad.

With these objects in view, as well as other objects which will appear in the course of the specification, reference will be had to the drawing, wherein:

Fig. l is a layout face view of a sanitary pad and holder therefor embodying the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken on line II-II of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken on line IIIIII of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary view similar to Fig. 1, showing a slightly modified construction in which the holder aperture is formed by a perforated tear-out strip, with the strip partially torn out.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged sectional view taken on line V-V of Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary view similar to Fig. 1 showing a second modified construction utilizing a tear-out strip, with the strip partially torn out.

Fig. 7 is an enlarged sectional view taken on line VII-VII of Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is a view similar to Fig. 1 showing another modified construction.

Fig. 9 is a sectional view taken on line IXIX of Fig. 8.

Fig. 10 is an enlarged sectional view taken on line X-X of Fig. l.

Like reference numerals apply to similar parts throughout the several views, and the numeral 2 applies to an absorbent pad made of surgical cotton, cellulose fiber, or other suitable soft, absorbent material. Said pad is flattened and elongated, being generally rectangular in cross-section, and is usually rounded at its ends as shown, although the exact shape thereof is not a limiting factor in this invention. Said pad is provided with a wrapper 4 of gauze or other suitable fabric. Said wrapper serves as a means for retaining the fibrous material of which the pad is formed, and in the form shown in Fig. 1, extends longitudinally beyond the ends of the pad to form pinning tabs 6, by means of which the structure may be conveniently pinned or otherwise secured to a sanitary belt or the like to hold it in position during use. The structure so far described is common and well known in the art.

The pad is provided with a sheath or holder 8, which also encloses all of wrapper 4 except tabs 6. Said sheath is formed of a soft, pliable, moisture-impervious ma-. terial which should also be comfortable and non-chafing to the skin. Extensive tests have shown thin polyethylene sheeting to be quite satisfactory for the purpose, although other materials could be used. Said sheath is preferably formed of a seamless, extruded tubing, since this eliminates a seam or other joint which otherwise might be a source of discomfort to the user. The sheath fits snugly about the pad and wrapper in a direction transverse to the pad, as shown in Figs. 3, 5, and 7, in order to prevent wrinkling of the pad, which would also cause discomfort to the user, and extends longitudinally slightly beyond the ends of pad 2. At each end of the pad and at opposite lateral edges thereof, the front and back walls of the sheath are permanently sealed together by any suitable method such as cementing, fusing, or the like. The sealed areas are designated by the numeral 10. The extreme corner portions of the sheath may be cut away as indicated at 12. The sealed portions leave a slitted aperture or opening 14 at each end of the sheath, through which the pin tabs 6 of the wrapper 4 are extended. Apertures 14 are of less width than the pad 2, in order to prevent the pad from pulling therethrough. In one face of the sheath, an aperture 16 is formed. Said aperture is disposed substantially centrally of one face of the pad 2, being elongated longitudinally of the pad, and is adapted to permit the menstrual flow to enter the pad. The sheath is reinforced adjacent said aperture by a ring-shaped bead 18. Said bead is preferably formed by an additional layer of the same ma-- terial of which the sheath is formed, firmly bonded to said sheath, and serves to resist tearing of the sheath at the edges of aperture 16. The structure is used in the same manner as an ordinary sanitary pad or napkin, tabs 6 of the wrapper serving as a means for pinning, clipping, or otherwise securing the structure to a sanitary belt or the like. It provides maximum moisture protection to the user, and protects the pad against con tamination before it is actually used.

In the modification shown in Figs. 4 and 5, the aperture 20 corresponding to aperture 16 in Fig. 1 is defined by a loop of perforations 22 cut in the face of sheath 8. The strip 24 of material within said perforated loop is left intact until the time the pad is actually to be used, whereupon it may easily be torn out as indicated in Fig. 4. This modification is adapted to further assist in maintaining pad 2 in a sterile condition until itis used.

The modification shown in Figs. 6 and 7 is substantially similar to Fig. 1 except that the aperture 16 is normally closed by a patch 26. Said patch is preferably made of the same material as sheath 8, and is larger than aperture 16, the edge portion 28 thereof overlapping said sheath adjacent said aperture and belng firmly bonded thereto. A loop of perforations 30 are formed in said patch in registering relation with aperture 16. The strip of material 32 within said perforations may be torn out in the same manner as strip 24 in Fig. 4, when the pad is to be used. The edge portion 28 of the patch is left attached to the sheath, and serves as a tear-resisting head in the same manner as head 18 in Fig. 1. While it is contemplated that perforations be used in the modifications shown in Figs. 4 and 6, it is evident that other methods such as cutting, scoring, indenting, creasing, or otherwise weakening the sheath material could be used to define the tear-out strips.

In the modification shown in Figs. 8 and 9, the gauze wrapper of the pad 2 is not extended beyond the ends of the pad. Instead, the sheath 34, corresponding to sheath 8 in Fig. l, is extended a greater distance be yond the ends of the pad, and the walls thereof firmly bonded together to form tabs 36 which serve the same purpose as tabs 6 in Fig. 1. It is otherwise similar to the form shown in Fig. 1, although it is obvious that the aperture forming means of Figs. 4 and 6 could be used therein as well as in Fig. l. The tabs 36, being of double thickness with the layers bonded together, are sufiiciently reinforced to receive pins or the like without tearing, although a single layer of the materials now contemplated for use would not.

It will be noted that the sheath is adapted to be marketed either as an integrated portion of the sanitarypad structure, or as a separate, reusable accessory. If used as an accessory, the used pad may be removed through aperture 16, the sheath thoroughly cleansed, and a new pad inserted through aperture 16.

' What I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

"A sanitary pad holder comprising an elongated, flattened sheath of pliable, moisture-impervious material adapted to contain an absorbent sanitary pad, said sheath having an aperture formed therein substantially centrally of one face thereof, and a patch of similar material covering said. aperture, said patch References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 10 Number Name Date 1,217,014 Knieriem Feb. 20, 1917 1,997,883 Lesselbaum et a1. Apr. 16, 1935 FOREIGN PATENTS 15 Number Country Date 606,320 Great Britain Aug. 11, 1948 

